unInvited Guests
by jm1681
Summary: Follows Punishment. A lethal individual has come to Roanapur looking for revenge. Rock and Revy's relationship suffers a hiccup. Rock/Revy, M for sexual situations, language and graphic violence. Please review
1. Chapter 1

For the 5th time now, I do not own Black Lagoon or any of it's characters.

So this will be the "last" entry in what I've started with Revy fix Rock fix Revy. By this I mean, this is not necessarily the last installment, but this is where the story ends. I did think of another place to take it, but I think this is a good place to leave things.

To those that have followed these 5 stories, thanks very much for keeping with them. I hope this is a fitting end. Without further ado...

* * *

At a Shinto temple in Japan, a young girl kneels before a shrine. The breeze blows through strands of her long bangs, her eyes closed and her head bowed in respect. A pair of unsheathed Japanese long swords lye on the ground before her, and a black pony tail, long enough to have collected itself in a spiral lye on the ground behind her. She wore a long black coat riddled with stains, which also collected on the ground all around her.

Quietly, she spoke, "I swear on my soul that they will pay with their blood."

*

In Roanapur, a final chime of Revy's cutlass marked the end of a massacre, her last shot landing between the eyes of a random Libyan henchman who had taken her husband hostage. He hadn't even flinched as his wife took a shot that passed mere centimeters from his ear.

"You alright?" Revy asked; her gun still locked on a point _just_ to the left of Rock's head.

The side of his face wore a thick coat of blood that had sprayed as the 9x19 ripped a hold through his attacker's skull. He raised his fingers to his face wiping four clean lines through the gore and gray matter. He looked down at his blood-coated fingers for a moment before shaking the thick substance from his hand.

"Rock!" Revy shouted again to get his attention.

He looked over to her and replied quietly, "Yeah, I'm good."

As he looked around the room at the mess of bodies and bloodshed that surrounded them, he commented, "This was a bit too close."

"Got that right." Dutch replied, a still smoking shotgun resting on his shoulder and a freshly lit cigarette in his mouth, "Benny Boy?! You alive somewhere?"

From the far corner of the room behind a stack of boxes, Benny shouted, "Is it safe?"

Dutch walked over to one of the bodies and turned the limp corpse onto its back with his boot, "I don't get it; Chang said there weren't too many of these guys left."

Revy holstered one of her cutlass and the M93, "Could've fuckin' fooled me. You got a body count Rock?"

"Looks like 45 guys. I'm surprised none of us got hit." He replied.

Benny joined the group, "I thought only a couple of boats got into Roanapur so where did all these guys come from?"

"Looks like Mr. Chang and his boys down at the docks miscalculated their numbers. We'll be sure to bring this up when we get to his place."

Dutch and Benny headed out onto the docks while Revy walked over to Rock.

"Hey. Are you sure you're alright?" She asked as she raised her hands to his face checking him over.

Again the image of his blood soaked fingers echoed in his mind, as did the image of Revy's blood stained clothes from 2 months earlier. Her wounds had healed seamlessly, but he would never forget the pain she endured and the burden she would continue to bare.

He pushed back his emotions and brought a smile to the surface as he replied, "Yeah I'm fine, just a bit shaken up, that's all."

She laid her wrists atop one another behind his neck and gave him a soft kiss. His hands climbed her back, pulling her closer to him and adding to their moment of passion. They pulled away from each other a few seconds later, Rock smiling while Revy bit her lip clearly feeling a bit anxious from the adrenaline rush.

"Rock, Revy! C'mon let's go!" Dutch shouted from outside.

"Duty calls." Rock said with a smile as their foreheads knocked together in disappointment.

As they walked to the door, Revy commented, "Sometimes I wish this job came with a fuckin' time clock. 'Sorry boss-man, we're done for the day'."

-

"Would you care for some coffee Dutch?" Chang asked from the kitchen of his apartment. "See what I did there? I welcomed you into my home and then I offered you something to drink."

"Put some bourbon in it to, my fuckin' head is killin' me." Dutch shouted.

"Dai-lo Chang…" No one called Mr. Chang that save for his own people, but Rock knew he needed to get his complete attention, "…we appreciate and will gladly accept nearly any job you throw our way, but tonight we were greatly outnumbered."

Chang stepped into the living area of his apartment where the Lagoon Company waited for him. He placed a tray of ¾ full coffee cups on the table.

"Please help yourselves. See that Dutch, courtesy amongst friends." Chang took a cup for himself, sat back and continued, "I'm afraid I'm already aware of your unfortunate circumstances this evening." He smiled as he looked to Rock, "Ya know Dutch, from the moment I met him I've liked this kid. I still want to have a talk with him for not asking my permission to marry Rebecca…" Revy cut him off, "Oh knock it off."

Chang continued, "…but I do like how he handles things." He took a sip of coffee, "What happened tonight is the result of a simple, yet very unfortunate mix-up on behalf of our eyes at the dock. Apparently three more boats got through during the shift change and they remained unaccounted for. I apologize for the lack of information but it only became available to me within the past hour. Rest assured, I'm taking care of the issue on my end, and…" He pulled a thick envelope from behind him into view, "…your troubles have not gone overlooked."

He threw the envelope onto the table, Dutch retrieving it casually. Opening and flipping through its contents, he smiled, "I suppose they haven't."

Dutch stood from Chang's couch and the rest of the Lagoon Company followed suit, "Well Mr. Chang, it's been a pleasure. I won't say I don't appreciate your generosity, but next time, try and keep us in the loop so we can bring bigger guns."

"And fuckin' grenades." Revy added, "I'm clean outta mags."

-

Later that night, Rock and Revy lye in bed at their apartment. While Rock was fast asleep, Revy was wide-awake and staring up at the ceiling. She looked to her left observing an alarm clock. Its block red numbers reading '2:43am'. She couldn't sleep because she couldn't stop thinking. It had been 3 weeks since they had last made love and she was growing both upset as well as frustrated.

On this night, she decided she would find out why and did so in typical Revy fashion.

"AGH! What the fuck!" She shouted as she banged her fists into the mattress.

Rock woke up disheveled and panicked, "What?! What's going on?! Are you alright?!"

She stared at him deadpan for a brief second before exploding, "You haven't fucked me in 3 weeks and 4 days; what the fuck is going on?! I have needs to ya know?!"

Rock blinked the shock from his eyes. He was startled to see she too had been keeping track, but alas, he had been avoiding the subject and now he was going to have to man up.

"I just…" He struggled for the right words, "…after what happened…"

She was quiet for a moment before replying much more calm, but still plenty upset, "We fucking talked about this. We said we weren't going to let it fuck things up between us."

"And it hasn't. I just…" She cut him off her eyes filled with rage, "You think not fucking in over 3 weeks isn't fucking things up?!"

"I'm sorry! I…" Again she cut him off rolling onto her side and pulling a sheet over her, "Ah, fuckin' forget it. Can't believe I married a fuckin' Eunuch."

Now he was insulted. He grabbed her shoulder and forced her onto her back to face him, "I said I'm fucking sorry alright?! I'm just not ready. You think it's not killing me lying next to you every night, feeling ashamed just for touching you? This has nothing to do with you; it has to do with me respecting your body after what happened to you."

"Fucking disrespect me then! I'm a woman, I'm horny and I want to get fucking laid goddammit!"

He forced his lips onto hers silencing her and she wrapped him in tightly in her arms as they kissed. Their passion slowed and Rock withdrew a moment later taking notice of the sheet of tears that had formed in her eyes.

"And you're not ready yet either." He replied.

She blinked a few times and rolled into Rock's arms as her tears came loose. He held her tightly as she wept, several tears making there way out of him as well.

*

The young lady from the shrine stood at the head of a table in a Tatami room wearing a black and gold kimono. She slipped her sword into the sheath at her side locking it in place with a click and a fountain of blood erupted from the suit in front of her as he fell to pieces, almost as though his body was held together until her sword was completely sheathed.

"Understand me gentlemen, your lives belong to me now and I will not entertain any manner of disrespect. The questioning of my authority will bring this fate upon any one of you. Do I make myself clear?"

All of the men at the table bowed in response and the girl turned to leave the room, her long bangs still present, but her ponytail cut from its prior excessive length, now ending just above her shoulders with a neat and flat cut.

-

The next morning, Rock awoke with Revy still nestled tightly beside him like an infant clinging to her mother. He moved her hair off her face and took her in for moment. He loved her so much and he wanted so badly to be ready to fulfill her wishes from the night before. At least he learned he wasn't the only one who wasn't ready to move on. From across the room, the sound of his pager vibrating in his pants pocket caught his attention. He carefully moved his arms as to not wake Revy and made his way from the bed.

He clicked a button on the pager bringing up the number for the Lagoon office and stepped into the next room closing the door behind him.

"Yeah Dutch?" He asked over the phone.

"_We've got a job. Should only take a couple hours but we need to leave as soon as possible. Can you be at the docks in an hour?"_

"Shouldn't be a problem, I'll wake Revy up and we'll be right down."

"_Good luck." Dutch replied._

Rock chuckled as he hung up the phone.

-

Balalaika entered her office of the Bougainvillea trading company and sat back wearing a very displeased look.

"Have we learned anything more Comrade Sergeant?"

"We're looking into it now Kapitan. Communications with the Tokyo office continued as they'd been for the past 8 months. Yesterday at around noon, all communication ceased with no explanation and we haven't been able to contact any of our associates in Japan since."

"Perhaps one of those pathetic clans have finally gotten their act together. Send a local squad out. Keep things low-key, I don't want to unleash hell until I know who and what we're dealing with."

"Yes Kapitan." Boris replied before leaving the room.

Balalaika turned away to face the windows in her office. No one was with her, so no one could see that she wore a distressed expression; the soldier buried inside her knew something was very wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

"You've gotta be fuckin' kidding me?!" Revy shouted, her eyes wide open and her mouth agape.

"_It's for Rowan Two-hands, what the hell did you expect?"_ Dutch replied over her earpiece.

"Jesus fuckin' Christ." In the shipping crate in which Revy stood, dozens upon dozens of "Sexual enhancement devices" sat boxed and ready for sale, "Alright, c'mon! Let's get this shit moved."

She was aboard a container ship with Rock while waiting for the merchandise. She walked over to Rock and removed her hard hat; he too looked quite upset at the nature of their cargo.

She lit a cigarette and leaned up against a crate beside her husband, "Can you fucking believe this?"

She passed him the cigarette and he replied, "Actually, this seems about right."

"_Rock, Revy; that cargo loaded up yet?"_ Dutch asked.

They looked around the container to see the pallet just about half-loaded and Revy replied, "Another 15 minutes maybe."

"_Good, I'd like to get paid this morning so we can all take the day off." _Dutch replied.

Revy turned to Rock at hearing Dutch's decree of a day off, the both of them smiling as she replied, "Fuckin'-A Dutchy."

*

Rowan slowly backed away from an unseen figure. All of the women in his club had been sliced to ribbons, their limbs and various other parts of their anatomy lye all over his shop.

"I will ask you again black man; where do I find her?" The voice belonged to _her_.

"I swear…I don't…"

"Then you are useless to me."

A blade whipped through the air severing Rowan's hand cleanly from his arm. As he screamed in pain, she raised the other blade to his throat, "One last time then? Miss Balalaika, where is she?"

"You don't understand! The only way you'll get to her is if she comes looking for you!"

"Then perhaps I will send her a message."

She lunged forward and raised her sword. A shower of blood erupted from Rowan's throat and his screams were silenced seconds later.

-

In Revy's room aboard the Lagoon, Rock and his wife lye back on their bed, his back to the wall and her back pressed up against him. His arms surrounded her and they simply sat in silence.

"Is this how it's going to be from now on? We sit around sulking."

"It's a bad day Revy." He closed his eyes as he exhaled, "We're bound to have them. Some day it'll hurt less."

She leaned her head back onto his shoulder and turned to him, "You think we'll be ready to have sex again _before_ that day comes?"

Rock smiled and gave her a kiss, "I sure hope so."

A knock at the door to her cabin brought about a less than enthusiastic response from the two of them, "Come in."

Benny opened the door, "Dutch needs all of us up top. We'll be at the docks soon and…hang on," He lifted a piece of paper into view; "…he, and I quote, 'Wants this fucking shit off his fucking boat so he can go get a fucking drink'."

They smiled and stood from the bunk.

The Lagoon pulled alongside the dock and Rock and Revy emerged topside to unload the cargo. Luckily the workers on the container ship had crated the merchandise up neatly.

"Who knew a bunch of rubber dicks could weigh this much." Revy commented with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth as she moved one of the crates.

Rock chuckled slightly as he lifted another box of god-knows-what from the pallet.

-

"So what have you heard?" Chang asked over the phone.

"_Still nothing new I'm afraid. I'm asking you a favor here Chang, look into it would you?"_ Balalaika replied on the other end.

"The Triad's ties into Japan are few, but I'll see what I can find for you." Chang replied.

Balalaika hung up the phone, still alone in her office, and still staring out the window.

-

Outside Rowan's shop, Revy banged on the locked door, "Open up ya fuckin' pervert! It's Rebecca!"

Normally mere mention of her name was enough to get Rowan's complete attention, but today, not a sound could be heard on the opposite end of the door. Rock looked around as a breeze blew down the street. He caught his hair with his hand and as he looked down, his eyes widened.

"Revy…" He said with all manner of fear in his voice.

She looked to him and then to where his eyes were focused. Blood had pooled up beneath the door and crept out onto the street. She didn't need to check it to see what it was. She cross-drew her cutlass and pushed Rock behind her.

Looking around the outside of the shop, she racked her guns against her hips and fired two shots through the lock. Twisting the knob unlocked the door and as it swung open under an unforeseen weight, Revy raised her guns preparedly. A decapitated and dismembered dancer's body was pressed up against the door and fell out onto the street as it opened.

Rock raised his hands to his mouth and Revy's eyes opened wide as she observed the interior of Rowan's shop from outside, "Holy shit."

Rock finally lost his breakfast as his wife entered the shop, awestruck by the brutal displays of death that surrounded her.

Catching his breath he called into the shop, "Revy? Are you alright in there?"

"Stay out there Rock; it's a fuckin' mess in here."

"What the fuck happened?" He replied after spitting a few times.

His wife found Rowan's mangled body, his eyes still stricken with terror. She knelt down looking him over briefly and closed his eyes, "Sorry Rowan."

"Talk to me Revy, what's going on in there?" Rock shouted.

She looked up to see a message scrolled in blood across the wall above Rowan's body, "Fuck."

"Revy?!" Rock again shouted his patience all but gone.

She emerged from the shop a moment later, "Are you alri…" She cut him off, "I need to take you in there."

Of all the things he never wanted to do, this was pretty high up on the list, "Wait, why?"

"There's a message on one of the walls."

"Well what's it say?"

"It's in Kana."

"Kana? How do you know it's not Mandarin?" He asked looking for any excuse to stay out of the shop.

"Because then _I'd_ be able to read it. I can't and that's why I need you in there now come on…" Revy took him by his arm and just before he crossed the threshold she added, "…just close your eyes and I'll walk you through."

She guided him through the trail of bodies and body parts, finally coming to the wall. She tilted his chin up so he'd see only the wall with the message when he opened his eyes.

"Listen to me, don't look anywhere but straight ahead, got it?"

He nodded and he opened his eyes struggling to keep his focus. As he read the message from right to left his mouth fell open at the contents of the message.

"Well, what the fuck does it say?" Revy asked

"We have a VERY serious problem." Rock replied; his eyes focused on two particular characters.

He closed his eyes and peacefully ordered his wife, "Get me out of here, we need to go right now."

They came out onto the street and Rock leaned over putting his hands on his knees as he hyperventilated.

"What did it say?"

"More will die until Balalaika shows herself. The message was signed; Kimi Matsuzaki."

"Matsuzaki? Isn't that…" Rock cut her off quietly, "Ginji."

"Fuck." Revy replied in fear.

"We need to talk to Balalaika right now."

-

"What was the name again?" Balalaika asked.

"_Matsuzaki. Kimi Matsuzaki."_ Rock replied over a pay phone.

"Well this is unsettling, if not amusing."

"_Have you heard anything else?"_

"We lost contact with our offices in Tokyo nearly two days ago. I suspected something was amiss and now you've confirmed my suspicions. Thank you Rock."

"_Certainly, let us know if we can help."_

"I would advise you take that wife of yours and go home. Tell Dutch and Benny they would be wise to lye low as well. If war should break out tonight, I'd rather my associates not get caught in the crossfire."

"_Thank you for that."_ Rock replied.

"Thank you for the heads up. Your loyalty will not be forgotten."

Rock hung up and Balalaika asked, "Comrade Sergeant?"

"Yes Kapitan?"

"We know who is responsible for the issue in Tokyo. Assemble our ranks; we're to be ready for war at all times."

*

"This city is on a different plane. Everything here feels wrong and hollow. There are no rules here; no morals, codes, or values. Such a place and all of its inhabitants are a burden on the world and we shall cleanse it."

Once again, Kimi addressed a room full of suits.

"The message has surely been delivered by now; now all we must do is wait for her to make the next move."

A man cautiously voiced his concern, "Anego, are you certain she will find us?"

Matsuzaki smiled, "This woman is a war monger; she will absolutely come out of hiding in hopes of punishing us. When she does, I will put an end to her."

"What of the others involved? The interpreter and the bodyguard?" Another man asked.

"Once we've dealt with Balalaika, they shall die too."

-

At the Lagoon Company office, the crew sat back enjoying a drink.

"This is some crazy shit. You say this girl came from Japan?" Dutch asked.

"If she is who we think she is, Revy's got the scars to prove this can end very badly." Rock replied.

Revy's hand passed over the scar on her leg, "Boy I'd love to get my hands on that bitch. Teach her a fuckin' lesson for Jumbo skewering me."

"Balalaika told us to lay low and I think we should. If they're going to turn this place into a war zone, I don't want you to be anywhere near them."

"Yeah, yeah." Revy replied.

"Hey…" He lifted her chin, "Is it so bad that I don't want to see my wife get hurt?"

She smiled before knocking back her drink and looking out into the night.

-

At Balalaika's office, Chang stood holding a video tape, "My colleagues in Tokyo retrieved this from their local police this morning and were able to get it to me via air-mail. It's a security tape from your offices."

"Have you seen it?"

"I have." He passed the tape to one of Balalaika's subordinates who slipped it into a waiting console, "A warning might seem unnecessary for someone like you, but I sure wish I'd have gotten one." Chang replied as the video came up.

The video showed a young girl ripping several of Balalaika's comrades to pieces, her twin blades slicing through everything in their paths with ease. Nearly everything in frame wore a sheet of blood and finally a slice of her sword took out the security camera filming the ordeal.

"Back it up." Balalaika ordered.

As the video re-played, she once again ordered, "Freeze it."

The screen displayed the face of the girl who was searching for her and she commented with a smile, "Kimi Matsuzaki. I'm going to enjoy watching you die bitch."


	3. Chapter 3

Multiple empty bottles of booze sat on the table in the Lagoon Company's office. This had been the first time they'd simply sat and enjoyed a drink and each others company in quite some time, and naturally, they were a bit drunk as the four pirates waved their glasses about as they sang a chantey.

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! We kindle and char, inflame and ignite, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. We burn up the city, we're really a fright, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. We're devils and black sheep, and really bad eggs, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!"

They fell back on the couches with smiles on their faces.

"I fuckin' love alcohol." Revy said; a wide grin on her face and her eyes in the half-closed state of intoxication.

Benny unfortunately wasn't feeling the same level of euphoria as Revy as his head lye back on the couch, "Terrible stuff this is."

"Cheer up Benny boy, when we wake up tomorrow hung over and dizzy, the mirage of Roanapur on fire will be that much more beautiful." Dutch replied.

Rock had drank just as much as the rest of him, but he had managed to keep himself completely collected, "I don't know if Balalaika is ready for this enemy. What she did at Rowan's…"

Dutch cut him off, "Relax Rock. She's got the Visotoniki and believe me; whoever this girl is, she has no idea the shit storm she's stirring up going after the Kapitan."

"You know what else I love?" Revy asked loud and sloppily, "Rock."

Benny tilted his head forward, "Huh?"

"Some of the things he used to do to me…" Rock's eyes widened in embarrassment as Revy's drunken rambling continued, "…you wouldn't think it just by looking at him, but this guy right here…" She wrapped her arm around him, "…sexual dynamo my friends. This one time…"

Rock cut her off loudly, "Wow, look at the time; I think we should be getting to bed."

He stood and helped her up off the couch and again she continued, "You should've seen the sheets, and he thinks Rowan's shop was a fuckin' mess."

"C'mon Revy let's go." Rock asked with his wife's arm draped over his shoulders.

Just as it seemed she might follow him, she pushed him away and stumbled back a bit, "But, he doesn't do any of those things to me any more…" She clumsily fell back onto the floor, "…not since I'm fuckin' broken. He won't even fucking touch me."

As the words crossed her lips, her tears finally came to the surface. Dutch bowed his head forward as did Benny while Rock walked over to her. He knelt down beside her and took her into his arms as she wept. She buried her face in his shoulder and he wrapped his hand around her head, "Shhh…It's gonna be alright."

He helped her to her feet and they proceeded to their room for the night.

Meanwhile, the Visotoniki had lined the streets of Roanapur. Snipers sat on rooftops and for lack of a better description, the main stretch of downtown Roanapur was completely shut down by Hotel Moscow.

Sergeant Boris approached Balalaika and reported, "Kapitan, we're ready on all sides. If she shows, we've got snipers covering the vicinity for 1 mile in all directions."

"Remember, I want her slowed down, disarmed and brought to me. Surely a woman capable of such atrocities will prove most entertaining in the last few moments of her life."

"Yes ma'am."

*

Kimi smiled as she observed the scene around her, "Look at all of those guns to take out just one little girl."

"Miss, do you think it is wise to go out there by your…" The man who spoke these words was cut off by the penetration of Kimi's sword through his chest.

"I did warn that questioning of my authority would lead any of you to your fate, did I not Mr. Yoshida?"

"I…" She removed the sword through the side of his body nearly cutting him in half and showering her in his blood.

"Does anyone else think I'm being too reckless?" Kimi asked to a sea of blank faces.

-

Boris reached to his earpiece, "Kapitan, Unit 12 on Market Street is reporting movement in the…"

His pause brought about her question, "Sergeant?"

"We've lost contact with Unit 12 and Unit 14 is reporting gunfire in the direction of Market Street."

"Send Units 14 and 15 to assist Unit 12. I want snipers in the area at the ready."

"Yes Kapitan."

*

A blaze of automatic gunfire rained down on Kimi yet none of the shots contacted her. Her twin blades tore through their barrage of bullets with little trouble.

One of the members of Unit 12 took cover and shouted over his comm, "We're taking heavy losses Sergeant."

"_How many of them are there?"_ Boris asked over the comm.

"Just the one girl sir…" As he replied, the gunfire ceased and he felt a sword resting on his shoulder stopping him in his tracks.

The soldier turned to face Kimi as Boris asked, _"Alexi?! Are you there?"_

Kimi swiftly removed the soldier's head and picked up his earpiece. Holding it to her ear, she peacefully asked, "Whom am I speaking with?"

He hesitated before replying, though in the scheme of things, a name hardly mattered, _"Sergeant Boris, and you are?"_

"Kimi Matsuzaki. Is Miss Balalaika nearby?"

Boris turned to Balalaika and nodded. She put her hand to her ear and replied, "Bitch?"

Kimi laughed, "I expected such a reply from a coward such as yourself. Tonight, I'm going to fulfill a promise to avenge my brother and the family he swore to protect. Tonight Miss Balalaika, I will decorate Roanapur with the blood of you and your men."

Balalaika smiled, "You're not the first to make that inevitably hollow promise to me my dear."

"Nearly every name on this earth has a meaning in every culture. Do you know what the meaning of mine is?"

"Please, enlighten me. Perhaps I'll have it written on your tombstone."

Kimi smiled devilishly as she replied, "She who is without equal."

She threw the earpiece into the air and severed it as it fell to the pavement.

-

"Comrade Sergeant, no more games. If a sniper has a shot I want them to turn that cunt off like a light." Balalaika ordered.

"Yes Kapitan." He raised a finger to his ear, "Sniper units, shoot to kill."

-

Kimi ran through the empty streets of Roanapur as a song of rapid-fire sang in her wake. While she was proving to be an extraordinarily proficient and dangerous enemy, one could only do so much to avoid a barrage of ten thousand bullets with two swords.

As she ran, she was finally clipped by a sniper's bullet, then another.

She staggered from the impact, and quickly took note of her surroundings. She leapt towards a car and sliced a hole through the roof as she descended. The scattered gunfire centralized on the car quickly igniting the gas tank and even as the car burst into flames, the hail of gunfire continued until there was nothing left.

Several minutes had passed and the car fire slowed. Balalaika, Boris, and several other armed men carefully approached the smoldering vehicle to find there were no traces of a body, though the car was parked above a shifted manhole cover.

Balalaika turned and walked back towards the direction Kimi had come from. The blood she had lost from the two wounds she suffered was still fresh on the pavement.

The Kapitan knelt, touched her finger to the pool of blood and smiled, "So you're human after all bitch."

She stood and waved her hand in a circle above her, "Comrades! We're done for this evening. Units 4 and 5, go to Market Street. Check for survivors and collect our fallen comrades. The next we see her, we'll feast over her ashes."

Her men raised their guns, cheering in a menacing war cry.

-

The next morning in the Lagoon Company's office, Rock and Revy lye in the bed they used to call theirs. Rock's eyelids slowly opened revealing bloodshot eyes, half rolled up in his head.

He raised his hand to his forehead, "Oh my head."

As he went to move his left arm, he realized Revy was lying on it. He wiggled his fingertips only to find they were numb. He tried to carefully maneuver his arm out from under her and when it finally came free, the limp appendage struck him in the face, then fell onto Revy's face accidentally.

Just as he prepared for an explosion fueled by a hangover, she merely groaned and remained asleep.

Rock closed the door to their old room as he stepped into the office. Dutch and Benny sat on the couch wide awake, their attention locked on the TV.

He walked over to them and asked, "What's going on?"

"Looks like your friend Kimi met the Visotoniki last night." Dutch replied, "Watsap and his guys claim to have found over 10,000 casings of 7.62."

"10,000?!"

"And they say that's just a rough estimate. I'm kinda shocked they only managed to blow up a car in the process of dumping that much lead." Benny added.

"Did they get her?" Rock asked.

"No bodies were found. Balalaika doesn't leave hers to be dealt with by the authorities, and if they got this girl, I imagine Balalaika wanted her alive." Dutch replied.

Finally it hit Rock that Dutch and Benny didn't appear to be suffering a hangover, "Hey wait a minute, why am I the only one holding his head?"

"After you two went to bed, we just kept up a light and steady pace of drinking. We sobered up and avoided the hangover." Benny replied with a smile.

"Wonderful." Rock replied as he walked over to the coffee maker to pour himself a fresh cup of day-old coffee as he retrieved a bottle of aspirin from the drawer beside him.

He knocked back a handful of pills with a few sips of the coffee making quite the face at the bitter awfulness.

-

"Any report on little Kimi's whereabouts this morning?" Balalaika asked.

"Negative. None of ours have seen or heard anything."

"Good. I'm sure we've gotten her attention, made her angry and now she will continue to make mistakes as her rage overtakes her. We wait for her to make the next move Sergeant."

*

"Does anyone else think I made a mistake?" Kimi asked arrogantly as one of her men tied off a dressing on her left leg.

Her right hand was firmly wrapped around the handle of her sword, its blade lodged in a man's skull.

The few remaining men of hers did as they always had when they were questioned and simply nodded. She pulled the sword from the man's face and wiped its blade clean as his twitching body fell to the floor.

"Clearly I've underestimated them. Or maybe, Mr. Takeda here was right and I _did_ make a mistake by walking onto their battlefield. Perhaps I should invite her onto an equal playing field."

-

Revy emerged from the spare bedroom in her tank top and underwear looking like she'd been hit by a truck. Her head rested in her hands and Rock immediately got to his feet to tend to his wife.

"Are you alright?"

"Fuckin' head hurts…" She replied weakly, "…coffee…"

Rock helped her to the couch and fixed her a cup of coffee and a handful of aspirin, which she promptly ingested. As she sat across from Dutch and Benny half-naked, they covered their eyes out of respect for Rock's wife.

"How much did I drink last night?" She asked.

Dutch used his half-empty beer to point towards the two empty bottles of Bacardi 151 and Jack Daniels.

Struggling to focus she noticed Dutch and Benny looking pretty good and also asked, "Why the fuck aren't you two a mess, and why the hell are you covering your eyes?"

"They stayed up all night drinking to ward off the hangover…" Revy cut her husband off as her head fell back onto the couch, "Why the fuck didn't I think of that?"

Then Rock finished answering her questions, "…They're covering their eyes because you're in your underwear."

She looked down as the contents of her stomach began to bubble up. She raised her hand to her mouth as she leapt from the couch, "Ah fuck!"

Rock followed her as she ran back to the spare bedroom and into the bathroom. As she fell to her knees in front of the toilet Rock quickly grabbed her hair just as she lost it.

Not feeling the greatest himself, he struggled to keep himself from getting sick at the sound of Revy's vomiting.

Her spit ups slowed and he asked, "Are you…"

Just as the words had crossed his lips she once again began to vomit and Rock finished his thought, "…OK I guess not."


	4. Chapter 4

"You see this fucking bullshit?!" Abrego shouted as the TV at a Columbian restaurant broadcast last night's events, "We should have been told that fucking Ivan bitch was starting a war!"

He shoveled a forkful of food into his mouth as Gustavo asked, "What about this girl boss?"

"Girl?"

"Haven't you heard? Some bitch from Japan is here looking for Balalaika. That's what last night was all about."

"A girl huh?"

"Yeah. Young girl too, supposedly she's carrying two swords with her." As Gustavo informed Abrego of the situation, the leader of the cartel widened his eyes in fear, "Two swords huh?"

"Yeah, can you imagine that? Like some fuckin' samurai or something. She comes near me and I'll just put a bullet in'er."

Abrego backed away from the table and wrapped his hand around the grip of his gun as Gustavo turned to see what the boss was afraid of.

Kimi stood at the door to the restaurant, her swords drawn and at the ready, "Mr. Abrego I presume?"

"Yeah, so what the fuck do you want?" He replied cautiously.

"I need to get a message to Miss Balalaika; do you think you can help me do that?"

"I'm no one's errand boy! You handle your fucking problems your self!" He shouted.

"Who said anything about an errand? I'm simply asking if you'll mind if I use you to get a message to her?"

She tightened her grip on her swords and began to plow through anyone and everyone in her path. Gustavo and Abrego opened fire and as she had the night before, she obliterated their bullets with her blades until their guns were empty.

As they went to reload, she knocked Gustavo onto his back and pinned Abrego to the wall forcing her sword through his left shoulder and into the wall behind him.

"YOU FUCKING BITCH!!" Abrego shouted.

She looked down to Abrego's right-hand man holding a sword to his neck, "Gustavo isn't it?"

His body was frozen as he nodded in fear.

"Tell your boss while you can, what it feels like to have your head removed, would you please?"

She slid the sword along the floor, its razor edge cutting smoothly through Gustavo's neck as he screamed in agony for the few seconds before he falling silent.

She slowly turned her gaze to Abrego and suddenly and rapidly, lifted and forced the other sword through the opposite side of his body once again bringing about a wrenching scream from the Columbian.

"Does this hurt?" She asked.

He had cheated death numerous times, but as his men lye in piles of parts and pools of blood, he knew he had reached the end of the line, "Just fucking kill me you bitch."

He spit in her face and she lifted the swords through his shoulders destroying the bone structures within, his screams intensifying as his blood pooled on the floor. Drops of his blood fell from the blades of her swords and she stood motionless and silent as she watched him bleed to death.

-

Rock lifted a nearly unconscious Revy from the floor of the bathroom and laid her down in the shower. He knew he might suffer her wrath later for what he was to do, but he also knew she would benefit from a cool shower. He switched the water on and took a seat as he waited for her to come to.

She slowly raised her hands to block the water from hitting her face and shouted, "Ah fuck! Alright, I'm up! I'm up!"

Rock upped the hot water a bit to make it more comfortable for her as he figured she would probably just shower anyway.

"I'll get you a change of clothes." Rock said as he walked towards the door back to the bedroom.

"Rock?" She called from the shower.

She had managed to stand up, her saturated clothes clinging tightly to the curves of her slender form. He walked over to her and moved her hair from her face.

"Last night…" Rock cut her off, gently taking her into his arms, "It's alright."

As he held her, she tilted her head and kissed at his neck. His eyes rolled up and she began to pull his shirt from his pants. Their lips met and she reached up to the knot of his tie pulling it free in one quick motion. She pulled his shirt over his shoulders and he stepped into the shower with her.

She unbuckled his belt and he finally gained his composure and pushed her away.

"Rock…" His heart broke as he took her in. Her face was red and her eyes were just seconds away from overflowing, "…please, don't make me beg."

Situation considered there was no way he was going to turn her down. He pushed her up against the wall of the shower and passed his lips along her neck and collar as she lowered his pants. She pulled away and turned to the wall of the shower.

He sank into her and a gasp of pleasure passed over her lips as the moment they'd both been longing for nearly a month finally happened. She cried out as they reached their crescendo, pausing for a moment before she turned back to face Rock. He held her in his arms and they kissed in the aftermath of their passion.

-

Balalaika stood at the door to the Columbian restaurant that had been the scene of Abrego's final moments.

"So a girl walked in here in broad daylight and slaughtered this entire place; excellent work as always chief." Balalaika barked at Watsap.

"By the time we got word it was too late." Watsap replied.

"Were there any survivors?"

"Cook in the back saw the whole thing; I'm guessing she must've missed him."

"I'd like to see him."

"I'm afraid I can't…" She cut him off raising a roll of hundred dollar bills into view, "How much is it going to take chief?"

Watsap escorted Balalaika to the back of the restaurant where his men had been keeping an eye on the cook.

"Can you give us a minute here fellas?" The chief asked.

His men left as Balalaika knelt before the cook, "A girl did this, correct?"

The cook nodded, "Sí, el diablo en el cuerpo de un ángel."

"What did he say?" Balalaika asked Watsap.

"The devil in the body of an angel."

"Chief?" One of Watsap's men asked from the door to the kitchen.

Watsap and Balalaika returned to the scene of the massacre and the officer handed the chief a note written in blood on a cloth napkin, also in Kanji.

"I don't read Japanese; you got someone who can translate this?" Watsap asked.

-

Typically clothed once again, Rock and Revy lay on their old bed at the Lagoon office. Revy leaned her back up against Rock, a cigarette hanging out of the corner of her smile. Her wet hair was tied back as usual while her stiff and soaked bangs dangled like springs in front of her face.

"You're quiet, are you alright?" Rock asked as he wrapped his arms around her placing a kiss at the top of her back just above her tank top.

She turned her to face him, "Just promise me, we'll never go that long without doing that ever again."

He smiled and gave her a kiss in reply.

"Hey Rock?" Dutch called from the office.

Rock stood from the bed as Revy layed back. As he reached the door she called out as she had months ago, "Hey Rock?"

"Yeah?"

She wore a warm smile, "Love you."

He smiled in return, "Love you too."

As soon as he stepped into the next room, her headache instantly returned and she groaned as she massaged her eyes.

In the office, Balalaika stood holding the piece of cloth from the restaurant. Just seeing the blood stained cloth Rock knew it meant something bad had happened.

"What happened to who?"

"I'm afraid our mutual friend has made a mess of Abrego and his men." Balalaika replied.

"You mean…" She cut him off, "I mean the Manisarrera cartel will no longer be taking part in our discussions."

Rock swallowed the lump in his throat and asked, "She left that I assume?"

"Yes, I was hoping you'd be so kind…" She handed him the cloth and his eyes quickly scanned it.

"Well Rock?"

"It says she'll be waiting at the docks tonight and she wants to face you on her own."

Balalaika smiled as she turned to the door, "Thank you Rock."

"Miss Balalaika, you can't go through with this, she'll kill you!" Rock shouted.

"Oh Rock honey, that's sweet. I appreciate your concern, but remember; she's Japanese just like you. She lives by set codes of honor. While I'm bound by my own set of values, I don't share hers. If she has any brains in that head of hers, she won't show tonight."

She continued through the door and out the front of the building to a waiting Mercedes.

"Comrade Sergeant?" Balalaika asked of Boris in the Mercedes.

"Yes Kapitan?"

"Contact our men at the docks, this ends tonight."

-

Night fell on Roanapur and Balalaika sat wearing her military coat in the middle of a series of shipping containers. Stacked 3 high, there was only one way in and one way out of the 50 by 50 arena.

"Are we ready?" Balalaika asked quietly.

"Yes Kapitan."

"Sergeant, I'd swear I almost feel bad about this. Wait…" She sneezed and finished her thought, "…never mind."

The sound of Kimi's swords slipping from their sheathes echoed in the arena silencing Balalaika.

"She's here Sergeant, lock and load."

* * *

I tried to handle the bit of "lemon" as tastefully as I could.

Also, the bit the cook says to Balalaika in Spanish, that came from the google translator so I apologize if it is incorrect. If anyone wants to offer up a proper translation please feel free to so I can update it :)


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm surprised you had the nerve to show after the mess I made of Abrego." Kimi commented as she walked towards Balalaika.

"You have caused quite a ruckus these past few days. It's a shame you're looking to kill me, I could make you a very rich woman."

"And therein lies your sin Miss Balalaika; money guides your decisions. Certainly you've heard that greediness kills?"

"I'm afraid I haven't my dear. But, alas, this will be the end for you." She drew her Stechkin from beneath her suit, "So how would you like to die? Gun to sword or hand to hand?"

Kimi smiled, "I commend your spirit. Truly you are an enemy worthy of my steel, though I imagine taking you apart with my bare hands will be much more satisfying."

"Very well then." Balalaika replied as she dropped her gun to her side.

Kimi slammed her swords into the earth beside her and continued to slowly approach the Kapitan.

Coming within 6 feet of the her, Balalaika remarked, "And that's far enough."

Four gunshots rang out from the four corners of the arena, one for each knee, and one for each shoulder. Kimi fell onto her knees, a slight yelp escaping her lips.

Balalaika stood from her seat, "You've disappointed me my dear."

She leaned down and nonchalantly picked up her gun. Walking over to Kimi's immobilized body, she squeezed the trigger putting several more rounds into her as to not take any chances.

"I've found myself in this position countless times I'm afraid. I once watched a young boy perhaps a third your age bleed to death, weeping in fear of his death."

"You…didn't…" She choked up a light spray of blood, "…you shot me."

Kimi began to gasp for air as Balalaika knelt beside her, "Of course I shot you, you little bitch. I apologize for what happened in Japan though perhaps you are misinformed. The Washimine clan invited _us_ to assist them. Mr. Bondo turned on me when I chose methods he believed were too radical to deal with _his_ issue, and from there on, you might imagine we were no longer interested in assisting the Washimine family."

"You killed my…" She spit up a thick mess of blood, "…you killed my brother."

"I myself did no such thing my dear. I might consider yourself lucky that the young lady responsible for your brother's death wasn't here for this. She would certainly have dragged this out far longer than I already have."

"Some day…some day you'll pay."

"And on that day, maybe I'll have already retired. Goodnight Miss Matsuzaki." Balalaika squeezed the trigger emptying the remainder of the magazine into Kimi's face.

"Comrade Sergeant?"

"Kapitan?"

"Our business is done here."

-

Rock lay beside Revy in their bed at their apartment. Their shoulders exposed, a thin sheet covering their bodies. They passed a cigarette back and forth as they lye on their backs staring at the ceiling.

"Revy?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something about…" He paused looking for the gentlest words to handle their delicate subject.

She knew where he was going and closed her eyes as she quietly replied, "It's alright Rock."

"If you had…" Again he paused, "…well you know…what would we have done?"

She turned to face him, "What do you mean?"

"If we had a kid, would we stay in Roanapur?"

She turned back to face the ceiling and let out a puff of smoke, "I don't know. We're married now, isn't that a decision we both have to make?"

Rock smiled at how housebroken she'd become these past few months they'd been together.

"What would you want?" She asked.

"To be honest, I feel like I've never been much more than a spectator here. Sure just being here keeps me on my toes, but my place here; it's not like yours. If I had to leave, I'd know there is something for me in the world…"

She cut him off quietly and calmly, "But I'm just a gun."

"That's not what I meant…" Again she cut him off, "It's alright, it _is_ the truth. I don't belong in your world."

He could hear in her voice that she wasn't through, "But?"

She smiled as she turned back to face him, "I'd do it for you."

"Revy I…" She wore a smile as she cut him off, "Shut up."

She took another long drag and turned back to face him, "I love you Rock. I used to think there wasn't a thing in this world that could keep me from going a day without killing someone. Then you took me to New York, treated me like a princess and for those few hours, I was a different person, a better person. When I lost our kid, this life became real. Now we'll never have that again and every day, that other world doesn't seem like such a bad place.

"So you'd leave this place. Leave your friends and your cutlass behind for me, for us?"

Revy placed the cigarette on the ashtray beside her and rolled on top of Rock, "Let's not get too carried away. I don't think I'd go anywhere without my boys." Revy replied with a smile.

She slid her body onto his and his eyes once again rolled up in their lids, as did hers.

He gained his composure and continued their conversation, "So where would we live?"

She struggled to reply in between gasps and kisses, "Somewhere quiet…" she moaned in pleasure, "…maybe…" again her breathing intensified as she sped up their rhythm.

They reached their crescendo and she fell onto his chest exhausted, "…upstate New York."

He wrapped his arms around her, "And you'd do that for us?"

She replied as she caught her breath, "I would."

He pressed his lips to hers and as he pulled away replied, "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

-

2 weeks had passed since Balalaika had put an end to Kimi Matsuzaki's parade of death. Things had all-but returned to normal in Roanapur, with no uninvited guests to speak of.

Just as Rock and Revy's marriage had returned to normal, on this morning, Rock found himself outside the bathroom door while his wife once again found herself sick on the floor of the bathroom.

"Revy?! Are you OK in there?!" He asked through the door.

"Fucking raw fish." As he heard what had made her sick, he closed his eyes and put a hand over them. He had forgotten that sushi didn't agree with her, "That's the last fucking time Rock."

"Sorry, I forgot." He replied sincerely.

She closed the door as she wiped her lips with a towel, "I know…" She gave him a kiss, "…you're just lucky I love you."

-

"Is that all Comrade Sergeant?"

"Yes Kapitan."

Balalaika offered her hand to Sergeant Boris, "Thank you comrade. Thank you for your loyalty all these years."

"It has been a privilege to serve under you. I will do my best to continue to lead Hotel Moscow in your footsteps."

"Thank you, and good luck Sergeant."

Balalaika hung her coat onto the rack in the office of the Bougainvillea trading company, taking the time to fix its lines as it hung. A thin line of tears rested in her eyes and she addressed Boris this one last time before walking to the door, "By the way Sergeant…"

"Yes ma'am?"

"The young lady Chang has elected, she can be a bit…odd. Tread carefully around her would you, and try not to lose your patience with her. The Hong Kong Triad is not only a valuable asset, but a dangerous one."

"I will see to it Kapitan."

Finally, she crossed through those doors for the last time.

-

"You take it easy alright?" Boss Chang not so much asked as ordered.

"Dai-lo Chang, we no forget you." Shenhua replied.

"Me neither, I've seen enough shit to last 10 life times in this godforsaken city."

He gave his favorite assassin a parting hug and kiss and walked to the doors of his apartment.

"Hey…"

She looked up to face her boss, "Take it easy on Boris would ya? The guy's a bit rough around the edges, but he's a good man."

"I do for you."

"Thanks sweetie pie."

-

"Fuck…" Revy quietly remarked in the bathroom at a convenience shop.

She hurried out of the shop and hopped into the driver's seat of the GTO.

"You get what you needed?"

She was lost for a moment and he asked again, "Revy?"

Without warning, she exited the car and closed the door behind her, "I need to make a stop. I'll meet you home in an hour or so."

"Hey wait! Revy?!"

She turned and shouted back to her husband with a smile he could have seen for miles, "Everything's fine, don't worry."

The last time she refused a ride, things didn't end well for her. Regardless, she was his wife and he trusted her judgment.

Revy slowly walked down the aisle of the rip-off church. As usual in Roanapur, there wasn't a soul to be seen in its pews.

"Yolanda?" She called, "Eda you bitch?"

From a back corner by the alter, Yolanda emerged and replied, "Is that you Rebecca?"

"Yeah, it's me. Sister, I…"

"Please, come in." Yolanda offered motioning for Revy to join her.

In Sister Yolanda's chambers, the sister sat back with a cup of tea as she asked, "My word, are you certain?"

"I took two, they both came out positive."

"I'd be inclined to call that nothing short of a miracle my dear, though I'm certain you will look for a more realistic explanation."

Revy smiled, Yolanda did know her quite well, "Is it possible?"

"Anything is possible; I think the real question is, are you going to welcome this surprise?"

-

An hour later, Revy returned to her and Rock's apartment as promised.

"Rock?" Revy called into their apartment, "Are you…" As he came into her view, she was startled at the sight of panic in his eyes, "…are you alright?"

She sat beside him on their bed and wrapped an arm around him, "What, what is it?"

A smile slowly formed on his face, "We just had a visit from Miss Balalaika and Mr. Chang."

"What'd they want? Did they have a job for us?"

He laughed to himself, "As a matter of fact they didn't. They just…gave us money."

Her eyes widened, "What?! What for?"

"I can't even believe it as I'm saying it but…they're retiring…together."

"WHAT?!" Revy asked in shock.

"That was about how I reacted. They said they wanted to thank us for our loyalty and our services throughout the past few years."

"Wait, so Chang and Balalaika?! Revy asked.

Rock nodded and a smile formed on her face, "Well shit what did they give us?"

Rock raised a check into view and Revy replied accordingly, "If you're fucking with me right now, I swear I'll rip your fuckin' balls off."

His smile grew wider and stiffer, his laughter uncontrollable as he shrugged his shoulders, "I'm not."

Her laughter erupted as well and as he leaned to kiss her, she pressed a finger to his lips stopping him in his tracks, "WAIT!"

"What?"

"I have something to tell you too."

* * *

Once again, I tried to handle the sex tastefully.


	6. Chapter 6

Balalaika sat beside Chang in the passenger seat of their Mercedes. The road in which they were traveling was a long and empty highway, some 50 miles north of New York City.

"Who'da thought after all these years we'd end up here?" Chang asked.

"I can't believe he actually got her to settle down, and out here no less." Balalaika replied looking very displeased, her temple resting on her knuckles, and her elbow on the door.

"It is a little…" They passed a house with all manner of random junk scattered throughout their property and Chang continued his thought, "…I can't even think of a good word.

"Where did he say the house is?" Balalaika asked.

"Should be just a few more miles up on the right. He said it was a separate drive off the main road. Not sure how, but he said we'd know it when we see it."

"He didn't give its name?"

"Apparently, it's not a street it's their driveway."

Balalaika smiled, "At least he's managed to find a bit of mystique."

-

In another car, Dutch, Benny and Janet followed the same road several miles back.

"What a dreadful place." Janet remarked at seeing the house Chang and Balalaika had passed earlier.

"It's actually not so bad. These people are different, but they're not bad people. Besides, this is a quiet place, wouldn't mind settin' up shop here myself to be honest. Not too far from the city, airport down the road, and a dock for my boat not too much further." Dutch replied.

"I still can't believe he got her to agree to all this."

"That's love for you Benny Boy. Get a strong enough case and it'll make you do all kinds of crazy shit."

"Ha! I love this guy, but there's no way I'd move out here." Janet replied.

Benny sat back and gave her his best "Oh really?" look.

"Well…" She backtracked a bit, "…maybe New York City would work."

Benny smiled as he wrapped an arm around her, "Ah relax Jane. Miami works just fine for me. So Dutch, did he say how far?"

"Nope, just said we'd know it when we saw it."

-

"Rock!" Revy called from the recessed entrance of their Japanese and Chinese inspired home. The shape of her body hadn't changed throughout the years, but her attire had. She wore a complete tank top as well as a proper pair of form-fitting jeans. Her hair was cut to shoulder length all around and it framed her face perfectly.

"I'll be right down!" Rock called from the second floor.

Rock's physical appearance also hadn't changed, though like Revy, his attire had. He wore a pair of knee-length Khaki shorts and the Hawaiian shirt his wife had bought for him so long ago, its "Fuck you" logo and middle finger still present.

As he came into view, Revy's eyes grew in surprise and her hands came over her mouth to contain her laughter, "After all these years you kept that thing?"

"I did promise that I'd wear it didn't I?" He came to the base of the stairs and placed his hands on her hips, "Today seems like a good day for it."

They shared a quick kiss, "Well, as much as I appreciate you coming through on that promise finally, I don't think that's going to work today."

"White shirt, teal tie like the good old days?" Rock asked.

"Just like when I fell in love with you." Revy replied giving him another kiss.

-

Chang and Balalaika continued their drive and finally came to the out-of-place sight of a barely used, dark and perfect line of tarmac that branched off the main road.

"You think that's it?" Chang asked.

"It does seem rather out of place and this does feel like Rock, why not?"

They turned onto the unlabeled stretch of pavement that appeared to duck into the woods.

"I must say this isn't quite what I expected." Balalaika mused as she reached into her coat.

"I'm sure he's got a surprise up his sleeve."

Just as Chang spoke those words, the woods ceased and revealed a seemingly perfect and endless clearing with an understated yet beautiful home directly in front of them.

Balalaika smiled, "Now this is more like it."

"Like I told Dutch all those years ago, I like that kid. He's smart and he's got a sense of style. Still need to have that talk with him about not asking permission to marry Rebecca."

Balalaika rolled her eyes, "Oh please, let it go baby."

-

"You think this is it Benny Boy?"

"He did say we'd know it when we saw it and this is certainly different."

Their car made the turn as well and the apprehension at disappearing into the woods was present as well.

"Great, we're going where no one can hear us scream." Janet commented sarcastically.

"Relax, I'm sure we'll…" As he spoke, the woods vanished around them revealing the house and clearing, "…be there any minute."

Benny smiled and replied in awe, "Wow…"

The car approached the house not far behind Chang and Balalaika's parked Mercedes.

-

Outside and around the back of their home, Revy tended to a barbeque grill.

She quietly informed said grill who was boss, "You burst into flames on me today and its fuckin' over for you, you hear me?"

Rock walked out of the house holding a tray of assorted foodstuffs, "You do know it can't answer you right?"

"Shut up." Revy replied as she scraped down the grill.

Rock walked back into the house as Balalaika quietly approached the rear of the home with Chang in tow. The Kapitan hadn't changed in the least outside of Roanapur. Her golden locks were still virtually their own entity and her burgundy suit was present as always.

As Revy came into her view she smiled and shouted, "Hey!"

Revy looked up as Balalaika continued, "Two-hands, I hope you've got Pirozkhi."

Revy's eyes lit up at seeing her old friend. She dropped the grill scraper and shouted as she approached the Kapitan, "Hey sis!"

They accepted each other in a hug, smiles on both their faces.

Revy pushed herself away from her and saw Chang peaking out from behind Balalaika. Again she couldn't contain her smile, "That you Dai-lo?"

Chang's smile overtook him as Revy jumped into his arms and he swung her around as a father might swing his daughter, "Oh man! No ones called me that in quite some time Rebecca."

As he put her down he gave her a kiss on the cheek, "How're you doing kiddo? Cut your hair I see?"

She raised her hands to her hair, "Makes me look more mature don't you think?"

"And are you?" Chang asked with a smile.

She chuckled as she quietly replied, "Not in the fuckin' least."

"Revy…" Dutch called from around the house in his familiar warning tone.

"That you bossman?" Revy asked with a smile as Dutch, Benny and Janet were revealed.

"We're here!" Benny called.

Revy approached and greeted them with open arms in a massive four-way hug.

"Look at you girl…" Dutch delicately reached his hand to Revy's hair, "…all cleaned up and proper."

"Weird isn't it?" Revy replied,

"You can say that again?" Janet replied looking less than amused.

"What the fuck was that?" Revy asked with narrowed eyes.

"Never mind." She replied.

"Watch her Benny. I haven't shot anyone in a few weeks and seeing all these old faces, I'm starting to feel a little peckish." Revy warned.

Eager to calm his protégé down, Chang asked, "So where's that husband of yours, I still need to have a talk with him."

At once again hearing of Chang's eagerness to have a talk with Rock, Balalaika's face landed in her palm.

"Enough with that already!" Revy and Balalaika replied angrily in unison.

Rock came outside wearing a chef's apron, and holding a plate of hamburgers and hotdogs. He looked around for his wife and heard the familiar voices around the corner of the house. He passed around the corner and saw all of his friends from so long ago. His heart warmed at the sight of his wife and all of the familiar faces sharing a laugh.

"Am I late?" He asked as he joined them.

From behind Rock, a young boy and girl, both of them between 8 and 9 years old appeared and latched onto him shyly.

"Who are they daddy?" They asked nearly in unison.

Balalaika, the hardened Kapitan, one of the most feared women on the face of the earth raised her hand to her mouth to cover her smile.

The excitement on each of their faces at seeing the two children was immeasurable. Chang would be the one to break their awestruck stares, "Who are we?! I think the better question is who are you?"

Revy smiled as she pulled the girl away from Rock's side, "Everybody, these are our twins; Sue-lin…"

Rock finished the introductions, "…and Tamasine; Sue and Tommy for short."

"Kids, these are some old friends of ours."

Revy and Rock passed out introductions and shortly after, they sat down for a late lunch/early dinner. While they served traditional American Barbeque fair, the Pirozkhi Balalaika had jokingly requested earlier was in fact on the menu as were some other Thai dishes from the old days in Roanapur.

After they had finished eating, Rock showed Dutch, Benny, Janet and Balalaika through their home while Revy and Chang stayed outside.

The former head of the Hong Kong Triad sat back and took a long drag off a cigarette as he watched Rock and Revy's children and commented, "You and Rock have done a good job Rebecca."

Revy smiled, "You think so?"

"When we heard you were pregnant again, I swear I was ready to start believing in god. That lasted for a couple seconds, but it doesn't change that what happened here, twins of all things; it certainly presents itself like a miracle."

Chang handed off his cigarette to her and she took a short drag. As the smoke entered her lungs she wore a satisfied smile. Smoking was a luxury she was rarely afforded these days.

As she passed it back she asked, "So what about you two? I gotta say, I knew you two were close because of your jobs, but I didn't see this coming."

"Balalaika? She's not so tough. She's just like you, underneath that hard exterior, she's just a girl." Chang replied.

"She still carry?"

Chang laughed, "She takes that damn Stechkin with her wherever she goes. She could at least bring a smaller gun. How about you? Still have the Cutlass?"

"My boys? I'll never part with them, though nowadays, they're more along the lines of display pieces." She reached behind her retrieving a smaller gun, "I did get old man Praiyachat to send me one of these though."

She handed Chang her new weapon of choice, a slimmer Beretta 21 Bobcat Inox. It had been modified per her usual requests. The barrel and slide were extended an inch, the gun wore her typical ivory grips and Praiyachat had engraved the slide similar to the way he had her M92's ".25 Auto Switchblade"

Chang couldn't help but burst into friendly laughter at the sight of her new weapon.

Quickly hopping on the defensive, Revy replied, "Hey, that thing works pretty nice believe it or not."

"Guess we'll have to call you 'One-Hand' now huh?"

His protégé smiled as she reached behind her retrieving a duplicate, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Chang erupted in a loud laughter at the sight of the duplicate weapon, "Now that's my girl!"

-

5:30 in the morning rolled around and the group remained outside enjoying either beers or cordials and awaiting the sun rise.

"You know Rock, looking around as were driving up here; we were kinda surprised you picked such a place to live."

"Actually Revy picked the place. She wanted to settle down some place quiet." Rock smiled, "Just wait, in about 5 minutes, you'll understand why we love it here."

"So how 'bout you Revy? You goin' to PTA meetings these days?" Dutch asked with a smile.

Her children fast asleep, his old gunslinger laughed out loud acting like the Revy of old, "Not a fuckin' chance. Sure I take the kids to school, but that'll be the fuckin' day you catch me having coffee and crumpets with those fucking stiffs. 'Mrs. Okajima, you need to participate in the school's activities.' Blow me you old bags."

As she laughed, Balalaika asked, "So what are you doing to keep yourself busy?"

"I'm actually bouncing at a biker bar down the road. I applied for job and the owner laughed at me so I pulled my guns on him."

"Those little pea-shooters from earlier?" Chang asked with a smile.

"No, I took the cutlass for that trip." Revy replied, "Guy said he liked my style. Ever since then I bounce there every other night."

"You ever watch her work Rock?" Benny asked.

"It's actually pretty amusing. Every guy's first reaction when she goes to cool down a situation is to hit on her. They usually end up with a broken nose, headache or both, and that's if they don't put a hand on her…"

She finished Rock's thought, "…Drew says soon as someone lays a hand on me I've got his permission to draw a gun. That usually solves things real quick."

"Some guy actually drew on her a few weeks back." Rock added.

Revy smiled wide, "Oh was that a good day. This fuckin' asshole starts a brawl in my bar and then thinks he's gonna draw on me?! It'd been so long since I shot anyone, boy did that feel good."

"Same old 'Two-hands'." Dutch commented.

As the sun came over the horizon, Rock commented, "Well ladies and gentlemen, here it comes."

As the sun slowly passed over the horizon, Revy laid her head onto Rock's shoulder and closed her eyes.

"Now that is beautiful." Chang commented.

"Indeed." Balalaika replied before noticing Revy's eyes were closed. Curious, she asked, "You're not looking Rebecca?"

Revy smiled as she replied, "I don't have to anymore. I can just feel the sunrise on my face and it doesn't matter where I am; I'm always home."

* * *

And that is all for this tale of Rock and Revy. I really loved doing these. I hope that those of you who have stayed with them enjoyed this last entry. I know some of it was a stretch, but just go with it ;)

As I said, this is the end of the story, but I may very well do more that could slot in between any of these, and I actually have a pretty good idea for a precursor to Revy fix Rock fix Revy. We'll see what happens I suppose.

Again, thanks for reading,

jm


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